


Training

by TheNights



Category: Titanfall
Genre: Gen, pre-Titanfall 2 campaign
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-20
Updated: 2017-03-20
Packaged: 2018-10-08 08:48:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10382901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheNights/pseuds/TheNights
Summary: “Hello Rifleman Jack Cooper” replied BT, optic adjusting as Jack got closer.“You can just call me Jack if you like” said Jack, leaning on the rails. At this height, he only had to tilt his head back a little to look BT in the optic. “Or Cooper. Either or is fine” finished Jack, shrugging his shoulders.----A sort of sequel to 'Potential'.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I'm back again. Because, I just can't get enough of these boys. So I guess this is where I live now. (I've also spent like, 3 days trying to get that 'Becoming the Master' trophy. My fastest time is 33.90 seconds in the gauntlet. So close.) 
> 
> Hope ya like it.

There were spots starting to crowd Jack’s vision, and he attempted to remember his training. Rear headlock? Relax, struggling uses up oxygen, turn your head to free your airway. Jack yanked on the arm in front of him, trying to create a gap to duck his chin into. His attackers arms were like steel though, unmoving, and Jack went slack again. The spots were getting darker, and he choked, feeling panic creep up his chest, and ruthlessly shut it down. If he wanted to get out, he would have to be quick. 

Keeping his upper body leaning forward, he hooked his calf behind the leg of his attack, planted his foot firmly, and twisted. His attacker grunted in his ear, and he felt a moment of thrill as he executed his escape, yanking on the shoulder of the arm around his neck, and tripping the other over the leg he’d planted down. 

Except a hand fisted in the front of his training shirt. His eyes widened as he caught the smirk on Lastimosa’s face, as his escape execution backfired on him. Jack was pulled down with Lastimosa’s weight, gritting his teeth as his nose connected with Lastimosa’s shoulder. He was already trying to roll, move, create space between him and Lastimosa before they hit the ground, but Lastimosa was like an octopus. Jack couldn’t escape the bigger, heavier man, who gave up any fineness, and hauled Jack with him across the ground. They rolled, and Jack tried to control the momentum, tried to end up on top, but it was clear Lastimosa was the one in charge. They flopped to a stop, trading small blows. Mostly Jack tried to defend, blocking the quick jabs sent at him. Lastimosa grinned wildly above him, looking more like a child at play as he watched Jack on defense, barking out corrections and guidance. 

“Deflect Cooper!” laughed Lastimosa, catching Jack’s grimace at the sting of stopping one of Lastimosa’s punches in his palm, “Redirecting energy is always better than trying to stop it. Direct your enemies attacks, use their own momentum to your advantage”.

Jack grunted, changing up his movements with the teachings. Lastimosa liked that about Cooper. Took direction with stride, though Lastimosa had learnt early to also give a decent explanation with any lesson he doled out, lest he be subjected to an endless cycle of ‘why?’ and ‘how?’. 

A stray knife hand to his side caught Jack off guard, making him snort out a laugh. Lastimosa caught on like a shark to blood, switching tactics. “Cheater!” gasped out Jack, smacking away the fingers that dug into his sides. He reflectively hunched his shoulders when fingers went for his neck, emitting a high pitched squawk. “All’s fair in war kid” snickered Lastimosa, redoubling his efforts until Jack was a wheezing mess, struggling for breath through his laughter. 

He finally let up when Jack flung out a hand and slapped the mat a few times. “Uncle uncle” groaned Jack, other arm wrapped around his middle to protect his abused sides. Lastimosa huffed, smiling, and hauled himself to his feet. He left Jack laying on the training ground mats when he was waved off, Jack obviously needing a few more moments to recover from their training session-turned-play fight. 

He wandered over to where BT stood, observing them over the safety railings of their training area. Due to limited resources, often temporary measures were taken until permanent arrangements could be made for many military spaces. Today, the training room had been cleared out to store more incoming rations, tech, weapons, and ammo than the stores could hold. Lastimosa had gone to lengths to secure a small area on the second story in the titan warehouse. They were mostly hidden from view by crates, unless you walked by the clear space facing out into the warehouse in a Titan. Lastimosa doubted anyone had heard them either, not over the sounds of cargo shipping, people running about the place, and orders shouted from one end to the other. Add the deafening thunder of rain pelting into the warehouse room, it was safe to say no one knew they were up here, except for the dead give away that was BT’s hulking form. 

“What’d you think BT?” asked Lastimosa, leaning on the railings. He plucked a small hand towel and water bottle from off the ground, wiping the towel over his face and neck. 

“Rifleman Cooper’s speed, strategic thinking, and reflexes have improved by 12% since you begun training him” recited BT, optic humming and spinning in place “His weakest skill is currently still close quarters combat”. Lastimosa shrugged, squirting water into his mouth “Can’t all be brawlers like you BT” he said, after swallowing his mouthful. 

“Define ‘Brawler’”

“You know” Lastimosa waved a hand, “A brawler. Someone who likes or gets into fist fights often.” 

“I am a Militia AI Titan” said BT, optic spinning faster as he processed Lastimosa’s words, “I am prepared for any case scenario where CQC is the most efficient option in battle”. 

“That’s not what I- forget it” huffed Lastimosa, signalling for quiet as his comms buzzed. “Lastimosa here”

“Captain”

“Commander Briggs! To what do I owe the pleasure of a call”

Jack watched over the lip of his bottle as Lastimosa meandered off into the maze of crates, chatting away to whoever it was at the end of his comm. His gaze then slid to BT, who was staring back at Jack impassively. Jack swallowed, lowering his water bottle slowly. They observed each other in silence. Jack feeling a little in awe of the other, while BT continued to subtly catalogued all the data he could on the other, without the use of neural link to give him more information. Finally, Jack snapped out of his daze, and gave the giant Titan a little wave, smiling slightly. BT’s optic spun in place, head piece tilting to one side. Then, Jack watched amazed, as the giant raised one hand, and gave a small and stiff wave back. It was so awkward and utterly human-like, that Jack couldn’t help laughing a little. 

“Hey there” Jack said, taking the exchange as permission to walk over and engage in conversation. 

“Hello Rifleman Jack Cooper” replied BT, optic adjusting as Jack got closer.

“You can just call me Jack if you like” said Jack, leaning on the rails. At this height, he only had to tilt his head back a little to look BT in the optic. “Or Cooper. Either or is fine” finished Jack, shrugging his shoulders. 

BT was silent for a long moment, making Jack sweat a little that he’d already done something to crash the Titans AI. 

“.....Jack” BT finally said.

Jack let out the air he’d been holding, relaxing over the railings with a grin, “Yea” he said, leaning his head on a hand, “That’s me”. 

“I am BT-7274” continued BT, “but you can call me BT”.

“BT” tested Jack, adding an extra hard ‘t’ sound to the end “Got it”.

They lapsed into silence again, Jack sipping at his water bottle, and BT continuing his observations. 

“Say BT…” Jack said, fiddling with the cap of his bottle, “Can I ask you something?”

“Yes” said BT, “though protocol dictates that I can not answer any questions related to the SRS or its internal operations”. 

Jack blinked, nodding slowly “That… makes sense”, he replied “Um, my question is; Is Captain Lastimosa uh…. suppose to be training me?”

“Clarify”

Jack stumbled, fidgeting more “Like is Captain Lastimosa technically allowed to be training me? Because I thought they couldn’t, especially since I haven’t actually been accepted into the Pilot program yet…..”

BT let loose a sound that sounded a lot like a thoughtful ‘hmm’ to Jack’s ears. 

“Captain Lastimosa is not suppose to train anyone outside of accepted Pilot candidates” stated BT, and watched as Jack wilted in place, pale lips pressed tightly together. A quick scan confirmed BT’s suspicions that his answer had caused Jack distress. BT shifted in place, unable to place the change in his systems, that reacted poorly to Jack’s distressed state. 

“However….” BT started, watching Jack’s eyes flick up to him, looking large and hopeful. “However” repeated BT, straightening under Jack’s gaze “from what I have observed, Captain Lastimosa has been training you in basics taught to all Militia rifleman, and nothing that other potential Pilot candidates would not already know. As such, your training sessions could be considered as ‘a friend helping a friend’”. 

Jack shot up, planting both hands on the rail so he could lean forward, eyes wide, and a grin pulling at his lips. “Really?” he breathed, looking so excited and relieved “you’re sure?”.

“I am 86% sure” said BT, leaning forward himself, optic zooming in as Jack cranked his head back. He zoomed in closer, interested in the way Jack formed little creases in his cheeks with the force of his smile. ‘Dimples’ BT noted, and added that to his internal file. 

“What’re you two kids gossiping about?” 

BT’s optic snapped off to the side, catching sight of Lastimosa leaning on one of the crates. BT did a quick evaluation, judging Lastimosa’s casual stance, and knowing grin. Conclusion: He had been standing there for awhile. 

Jack jumped, twisting to look at Lastimosa wildly, before relaxing. 

“Just getting to know each other” said Jack, laughing as Lastimosa walked over, giving Jack a companionable slap on the back. 

“Oh yea?” asked Lastimosa, tilting his head to raise an eyebrow at BT. BT shifted on his pedes, unsure of what to make of such a look, “He bore you with his percentages yet?”.

Jack chuckled, hand raised to his mouth, and shook his head, “No” he replied, voice full of mirth “He’s cool. I like him.”. 

“Yea me too” agreed Lastimosa, knocking shoulders with Jack. He grinned when Jack took it, and returned the gesture. “Say...How about after your evening shift, you come out with us for a little stroll?”

Jack blinked, “A stroll?”.

Lastimosa nodded, scratching his neck. “Yup” he said, popping the ‘p’, “I like to take BT for a wander out of the hanger sometimes, change of scenery, get some fresh air for an hour or so”.

“Sounds fun” agreed Jack, looking eager, then abruptly ducking his head, “I’d uh, I’d love to join you guys. If that’s okay with you?”. It took Lastimosa a second to realise Jack wasn’t addressing him, instead he was looking up at BT with an expectant look. Lastimosa felt his fondness for the Rifleman grow twice as big in that moment. He also turned to look up at BT, watching to see how his Titan reacted. BT seemed to freeze in place, gears and pistons pausing for a split second under the gaze of the two humans. 

“....That is okay with me” BT finally said, making Lastimosa laugh, and wrap an arm around Jack’s shoulders, giving him a little excited shake. 

“Knew I liked you for a reason kid” said Lastimosa, grinning at the happy, if slightly confused, look on Jack’s face. 

Man, this was going to be fun.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> Drop a kudo/comment with your thoughts if ya like, and I hope you have a wonderful day!


End file.
